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Customizable Cup

Introduction: Customizable Cup

This instructable teaches how to customize your own insulated cup. It looks awesome and is fun to drink from. In this intractable we used cups that are similar to the Tervis brand.

Step 1: Supplies

To make this instructable you will need:

Tervis-like Cups - (cups consisting of 2 parts; inner and outer cup) We found ours at the dollar store.

Fabric Patches* (one for each cup)

Hot Glue Gun (with glue sticks)

Super Glue

A Hand Saw

A Vice* (optional, but recommended)

*Not shown in photos

Step 2: Opening the Cup

First, we will need to open the cup. Using a hand saw, gently saw around the rim where the cup was originally sealed. If you have a vice, you should wrap the cup in a cloth and gently place it in the vice, applying just enough pressure to keep it still while you cut without cracking the cup. You will get the best results using the thinnest saw blade you can find. Take your time as you do this. If go to fast, you're apt to accidentally mess something up. It will take a while, but it will look much better than if you accidentally slip while cutting fast.

Once you have cut all the away around, separate the inner cup from the outer cup.

Step 3: Gluing the Patch On

Next choose the fabric patch you want to place on your cup. Then use your hot glue gun to glue it on the surface of the inner cup. Be sure to glue all of the patch on so that parts of it do not curl up.

Step 4: Sealing the Cup

When sawing open the cup, it was likely that shreds of plastic fell into your cup. Before proceeding, make sure both cups (inner and outer) are clean and don't have any shred of plastic in or on them.

Turn both cups upside down. Place super glue all around the rim of the inner cup and then place the outer cup on top. You are re-assembling the cup so make sure they fit nicely together and are centered. Apply pressure as you hold them together. Do this for at least a minute or two before letting go, so that the glue has time to dry. If the rim of the cup doesn't feel right, you can do around the cup one last time with super glue to fill any spots you may have missed. Then wipe off any excess glue with a paper towel.

Lastly, wash the cup one last time to ensure that it is clean. That's it! You're done! Now you have your own customized cup! You can repeat this process as much as you'd like to grow a collection of custom cups. You could even put names in each cup for every one in your family so that you all have your own personalized cups! Enjoy!

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2 Comments

Nice idea, but a cautionary note: Tervis offers a lifetime guarantee on the seal between inner and outer cups, so do not do this on real Tervis cups. You did note in your steps to use a 'tervis-like cup', but your title indicates the Tervis brand.

Just sayin'. I got free replacements for all my broken-seal Tervis cups last year, and I was very glad I hadn't voided the warranty, which for years I hadn't even been aware of.